LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, is answering your questions this weekend on the Nexstar Digital original, “Coronavirus House Calls.” Dr. Fauci says the COVID-19 pandemic has been a ‘worst nightmare’ scenario. But with that said, he remains optimistic about emerging treatments, a possible vaccine, and beginning to re-open the country.

“The new normal will likely be for at least a cycle or more through seasons,” he said.

Those words of caution coming from Dr. Fauci, the head of the national institutes of allergy and infectious diseases. Appearing on Coronavirus House Calls, which will air this weekend at 3 p.m. CST, Dr. Fauci says Americans should remain focused on preventing the spread of the virus.

“The real determining factor to put this into the history books will be if we get a safe and highly effective vaccine,” according to Fauci.

A coronoavirus vaccine is already showing promise: In early clinical trials, all 45 people in a trial from drug maker Moderna produced antibodies for the vaccine.

“The levels of antibody are high. Even at a modest dose,” Fauci said. “That’s not the end game, but it certainly makes us cautiously optimistic.”

But the distribution of the possible vaccine is, at best, months away. And for people already sick with the virus, “we’ve talked about Remdesivir,” Fauci said.

According to Dr. Fauci, emerging treatments like Remdesivir are encouraging.

“So it’s gonna be distributed, hopefully as equitably as possible, based on the burden of disease and hospitalizations throughout the country,” said Fauci.

In examining the nation’s response to the virus, Fauci is focused on the future.

“You can always find something that you could’ve done better because we’re just not perfect. But we’ve got to do what we can with what we have,” he said.

Dr. Fauci says the virus is being controlled in some areas of the country already. But, he says precautions like social distancing and extra hand washing should remain in place for some time.

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